A MAN who rode a Ginger e-scooter in Chester while double the drink-drive limit has received a three-year driving ban.

Jake Nellany, 22, of Ashburn Close, Barrow, had previously pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving while disqualified and obstructing a police officer, with all offences dating from May 5.

Appearing at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, July 16, Nellany gave evidence as part of a 'special reasons' hearing, which had been brought by the defence on the grounds of the 'triviality' of the offence.

Prosecuting, Amie Gouldson said Nellany had been banned from driving since August 2020.

It was on the night of May 5 when Nellany had been on a night out with friends in Chester and, on St John Street, a friend had been riding a Ginger e-scooter. Nellany then began riding that e-scooter up and down the street while waiting for a taxi.

A police officer had been called to the scene due to concerns raised by CCTV officers, and as the police officer arrived, he spotted Nellany pulling up on to the pavement alongside a taxi.

Nellany was "initially compliant" with the police officer, but then ran off.

Police gave chase and eventually Nellany was found in the River Dee, trying to swim to the other side of the river.

The court heard he made it about one quarter of the way across before turning around and needing to be helped out by the police officer.

Nellany also provided false information about his identity to the police officer.

He provided a drink-drive reading of 71 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – just over double the legal limit of 35.

The court heard, in Nellany's defence, the e-scooter had been ridden for a short distance – about "20 to 30 metres up and down the street", and Nellany said he had not nearly come into contact with pedestrians, disputing the police officer's statement.

He had been in a small group, out that weeknight, during the time when there were Covid restrictions preventing people from going to pubs in groups larger than six, so the streets were relatively quiet.

Nellany had been planning to travel back to the barracks by getting in a taxi.

The court heard Nellany was currently serving, but had missed out on a promotion as a result of his offending. He had previously been deployed to South Sudan on humanitarian missions.

Nellany, giving evidence, claimed he did not know he needed a licence or insurance to ride the e-scooter.

However, Ms Gouldson said there was evidence Nellany had tried to register with Ginger for usage of an e-scooter, which he had to do by uploading his driving licence, but it was declined with the remarks "suspicious behaviour".

District Judge Nicholas Sanders rejected the defence application's 'special reasons' defence, saying that Nellany riding an e-scooter "for fun" was not a valid special reason to be riding the vehicle.

While it was accepted the vehicle had been ridden for a short distance, DJ Sanders added: "Riding an e-scooter is something which does require a skill set which does not come easily to everybody. Going on an e-scooter while drunk is potentially asking for trouble."

Nellany was handed a new three-year driving ban, which would be reduced by one quarter if he took a drink-driving rehabilitation course.

He was fined £600 for the driving offences and £230 for obstructing a police officer, plus £85 court costs and an £83 victim surcharge.